Bogart 8-year-old raises money for shelter animals

Regional and health reporter

After reading a magazine article about child philanthropists, 8-year-old Bogart resident Olivia Lamons decided she wanted to take on a project to make a difference in her community.

Olivia started collecting donations to pay for heartworm treatments for the Oconee County Animal Control shelter — an effort that has grown from about $60 from family friends and neighbors to more than $350 in donations, said Kevin Lamons, Olivia’s father.

Olivia — who plans to take on careers as a veterinarian, singer and author — did a little bit of Internet research before asking for donations for the Oconee County Animal Control shelter, Kevin Lamons said.

“She learned that heartworm medications and heartworm treatments are one of the biggest things that (shelters) need,” he said.

Olivia started by asking family friends and neighbors for money, and collected about $60 in an afternoon, he said.

Olivia, who usually is shy with adults, took the initiative to knock on doors and tell neighbors about donating to her cause.

“So her mother and I, of course, being proud parents, made a little Facebook post on our pages,” Kevin Lamons said.

Friends responded with pledges to donate money, and another friend, serving in Afghanistan, made a poster promoting Olivia’s fundraising efforts. The poster was reposted on several Facebook pages and has garnered even more financial support for Olivia’s pet cause.

The family plans to collect donations throughout June and then make a trip to the animal control shelter to present the donations to Director Catlyn Vickers and do some volunteer work, Lamons said.

The donations will help treat animals for heartworms and give them a better chance at getting adopted, Vickers said.

“We get in a number of very adoptable dogs that when we catch them, have heartworms and with our philosophy in Oconee County, we want to do everything that we can to help good candidates to go out the front door and find their forever home,” Vickers said.